LISA

US, 1962, 112 minutes, Colour.
Stephen Boyd, Dolores Hart, Leo McKern?, Hugh Griffith, Donald Pleasence, Harry Andrews, Robert Stephens, Marius Goring, Finlay Currie, Geoffrey Keen, Jean Anderson.
Directed by Philip Dunne.

Lisa is set in 1946, showing the plight of itinerant Jews at the end of World War Two and the desire to get to what was to become the state of Israel. Dolores Hart portrays Lisa and Stephen Boyd is the inspector who tries to get her to Israel. There is a very strong British cast in support.

The film is of interest as the second-last film of Dolores Hart (Loving You, King Creole, Clare in Francis of Assisi, Come Fly With Me, her last film). In 1963 she joined the Benedictine Monastery in Connecticut where she became the prioress in 2003. Stephen Boyd had a strong career including films like Ben Hur but died comparatively young. The screenplay was written by Nelson Giddings, a prolific writer, and the film was directed by Philip Dunne, mainly known as a writer who, between 1955 and 1965, did direct ten films including Prince of Players, Hilda Crane. His last film was Blindfold with Rock Hudson and Claudia Cardinale.

1. This title focussed on the girl. The alternative title and of the novel was ‘The Inspector’. Where should the emphasis have lain? The emphasis from the credit sequences of the train lines and the journey, the sense of journey during the film, the reaching of destination?

2. How topical does this film seem now? The Jewish question and Israel? For 1946 when it was set? For the early sixties when it was made? For the seventies with Israeli problems? How valuable a film was it in this regard? Why?

3. The film contained both message and adventure, Which predominated? Why? How successful an adventure was it? With the journey and the chase and the double-dealings? The message about Lisa and her searching for a paradise? Peter and his need for reparation?

4. How strong were the themes of cowardice and courage? Courage in Peter after his cowardice and a relentless pursuit of Lisa’s good? Could Lisa’s cowardice be induced by the concentration camp?

5. How well developed was the Jewish theme? The significance of the war and the concentration camps? Lisa’s memories of her treatment in the camp, the medical memories, captive in the hole etc? Her dreams of a paradise, the Star of David on the tank? Did the significance of Jewish persecution in the 20th century come through well?

6. The theme of atonement and reparation? Why was Peter so strongly motivated? Was this a sign of Europe wanting to make reparation for the persecution of the Jews?

7. How central a character was Lisa? As Jewish, her vision, her suffering, her ordinariness, her fear of loving her gratitude, her love for Peter, reaching her goal of paradise?

8. How strong a character was Peter? As a policeman? Nazi collaboration, not helping Rachel, pursuing investigations, willing to give a year of his life to save Lisa, the imperative that kept him going?

9. What did the film have to say about law and conscience? Why did Peter act outside the law? Had he any right to? The English? The Dutch? The British? Why were they all against him?

10. The opening impressions of the white slaver and Lisa moving from one slavery to another? The rescue by Peter? His confrontation with him? Was the murder relevant to the rest of the story? How important was it
for the plot?

11. Why did Peter decide to go? The sequences in Holland, with his family?

12. How did the barge experience change Peter and Lisa? The personality of the barge driver? Leo McKern’s? enjoyable performance? Its qualities? The human aspects of the barge driver? His reasons for helping?

13. The importance of Sergeant Wolters? His risking helping Peter and concealing them on the barge? His motivation for this?

14. How did the film rely on its different backgrounds: London, Holland, the Canal Country, Tangiers, the Mediterranean? How important were the sequences in Tangiers? How much did they rely on Hugh Griffith's
eccentric performance? His using of Peter and Lisa to smuggle arms? His shrewdness in not binding Peter? How sympathetic was he?

15. How well was the possibility of Lisa’s going to the Nuremberg Trials explored? Brown and his idealism? The support Lisa got from the doctor? Why did she not go? Was it a duty for her?

16. The importance of the voyage and the sense of getting nearer to Israel? The collaboration of the Captain? Harry Andrews' performance? The gunboat and the shooting and the threat to Lisa’s life, her being wounded?

17. How satisfying was the ending for each of them? Lisa’s goal? Peter’s giving himself up? The spectre of Dickins waiting for Peter to give himself up?

18. With so much content how successful was the film in communicating it all?